Invalid&#39;s bed



March 14, 195@ M. D. BEEM ET AL. 2,500,743

INVALIDS BED Filed Sept. 12, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l 4 INVENTORS MAQVZZ Q555M A/v AMA/V J TAD L042,

March 114, 1950 M. D. BEEM ET AL 5 9 INVALIDS BED Filed Sept. 12, 1945 5Sheets-Sheet 2 I WW Imm

INVENTORS 4/42/4 9355M A/Yfl By AMA/VJ 720 102 Patented Mar. 14, 1950UNITED smras T E NT OF F 1 CE INVALIDS BED 'Applicationseptember 12,1945, Serial No. 6153787 13 Claims.

This. invention relates to inv'alid: bedsof the type having a fiushabletoilet incorporated therein; eliminating thexnecessity for'the use of-"abed pan. The invent-ion is directed particularlyto the problem ofuncovering anopeni'ngin the'bod, to which a toilet bowl is presentedfrom below- The general object of theinvention is to provide a bedwherein the cover for-the toilet opening will be'automatically moved-outof the way when the bowl is elevated to-the' opening.

A specific object' of the invention is to provide an arrangementwherein-- the elevating movement of'the toilet-bowlwill'move the coverto an open position through mechanicallinkage adapted to be engaged bythebOWl' or'a' member associated "therewith, and to :transmit'movementfrom the bowl to'the cover.

Another object of the invention is to provide-a bed wherein the toiletmaybe swung horizontally from beneath the bed-in order to permit of itsbeing used by an ambulatory patient. This necessitates theme of linkagewhich-is not actually attached to the toilet bowl. The bowl must becapable of swinging away 'fr'om the" linkage in order to reach thehorizontally-projected position. Consequently, another of the objects ofthe inventionis to providea cover elevating mechanismwhich is arrangedto receive bowl *movement I from the toilet bowl andyet is notdirectly-connected thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a normally concealedreceptacle for toilet tissueand other similar'utilities; A furtherobject'is to provide such a receptacle which'w-ill bemoved to a positionwhere the patientmayhave'read'y access to it upon'usingthet'oilet. 'Withthese general objects in mind, a further obiect of'the-invention is toprovide-a receptacle fo 'toilet'tissue' and the like which isincorporated'directly beneath the cover for thetoilet opening andWhich-is adapted to be moved toa position for convenient'use as theresult of moving the cover away from the opening.

Another object of the invention is" to provide 'a bed having articulatedpartsthat' are movable to any of'a number ofnositions (ofva'rie'd degreeof elevation) wherein they cooperate to forma reclining seat forsupporting a -patient comfortably'for use of'the' toilet; "Some'patientscan be brought to a position of maximumnpr ig'htness. Others, becauseoftheii condition, can lie-elevatcover :raising; mechanismr which, .isadaptedii to iii 2 operateequally as well in-any of the severalpositions to which thethigh or seat portion ofthese articulated partscan be raised.

Another object is to provide a bed having articulatedparts including'aback rest portion'adapted to be raised to asem'i-upright positionandhaving a hinged panel adjacent'a toilet opening, which panel isadapted'to beretracted downwardly and rearwardly as the back rest iselevated, in order to more fully accommodate the moving of the upperportion of the toilet upwardly into the opening.

Otherobjects' of the inventionywill appear in the ensuing specificationwhenconsidered'in-connection with the-appended drawing; wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view ofan invalids bed embodying the invention:

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bed;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of theseat'raising mechanism, taken onthe line 33 of Fig. 1 and showing the n'ie'chanisrn in the closedposition in full lines and in theopen position in'dotited lines;

Fig. 4 is a lon itudinalsectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

As anexample of one form in which the invention' may be embodied, I haveshown in the drawings an invalids bed including a head '3, a foot It,longitudinal rails' [I connected to the headz'Q and foot ill by anglebrackets l2, and a'pair of top portions l3 and M'which collectivelyconstitute the top of the bed upon which a patient is supported.

The top portion l3ira'lso provides a seat for supporting a patientfor'use of the toilet mechanism which includes a bowl [5 that is adaptedto be elevated from an inoperative position below the bed to a positionin which it is presented to an opening It in the top portion l3. Thistop portion I3 comnrisesa back rest H andthe thigh section l8 hinged" toeach other and to brackets 59' which are attached to the fixed framerails I I, and a leg'rest 213' which hinged to the thigh section l8at2l. The back-and leg rests H and 20 are adapted to support mattressmembers 2 2 and 23'. The opening it, which is-in the thigh section 18,is normally covered by-a cover 24' to which is secured a' mattresssection 2'5.

The removable top section It comprises a back rest 2.6 and a thigh:section Zlhinged together and to brackets 29' which are'secured' to asub frame 28, together with a leg rest 3!]: which is hinged at 3;litotheth'ighi section .21. The sub frame 2 8: has rollers; 32-; which.travel in tracks 33 thatarersecured upon-thozraile H; in positions, ex-

3 tending transversely of the bed. Thus the removable top portion l 4may be moved horizontally from the bed onto an ambulatory cart havingsuitable tracks positioned to register with the tracks 33.

The bowl I5 has a trap portion 34 which is hinged at 8| between thespaced arms of a swinging bracket 35. The other end of the bracket 35 ishinged, at 36, to a vertical post 31 which is pivoted in bearings 38 and39 to permit the entire toilet assembly to swing laterally so as toproject the bowl l5 horizontally from beneath the bed. A screwjack unit40 has one end attached to the post 31 and its other end attached to thebracket 35 or bowl I5. The screwjack unit 40 includes a reversibleelectric motor 40', operation of which is effective to raise or lowerthe bowl l5.

The bed is provided with side panels 4|, 42 and 43, the panel 43 beinghinged at 44 to the head of the bed so that it may swing outwardly topermit the horizontal projection of the bowl I5 from beneath the bed.

The head rests I1 and 25 are adapted to be raised by a series of arms 45mounted on a shaft 46 which is journalled in the rails H. The knee areasof the top portions I3 and 14 (the areas where the leg rests 20 and 35are hinged to the thigh sections l8 and 2'!) are adapted to be lifted byarms 4'! which are mounted upon a shaft 48 journalled in the rails H.The swinging ends of the arms 45 engage the under sides of the backrests I! and 25, and the swinging ends of the arms 41 engage the undersides of the thigh sections l8 and 21. Levers 49 and 50 are attached tothe shafts 46 and 48 respectively, extend downwardly, and are connectedat their lower ends to screwjack units 5| and 52. The screwjack units 5!and 52, like the unit 45, embody reversible motors by means of whichthey may be operated in either direction. Operation of the unit 5! inone direction will cause the arms 45 to move counterclockwise, raisingthe back rests I! and 26 to inclined positions such as that shown inFig. 2. Operation of the screwjack 5! in the opposite direction willpermit the back rests I! and 26 to return to horizontal positions.Operation of the screwjack 52 in one direction will swing the arms 4?counterclockwise, raising the knee areas of the top portions l3 and I4to positions such as those shown in Fig. 2. and operation of thescrewjack 52 in the opposite direction will permit the knee areas toreturn to the horizontal positions.

The toilet bowl I5 is adapted to cooperate with the thigh section IS inany position that may be assumed thereby. For the average patient, thethigh section may be elevated to a position of maximum inclination(approximately the position shown in Fig. 2).

For certain conditions, however, it may be desirable to elevate thethigh section l8 to only a portion of the elevation shown in Fig. 2, orin some cases, it may be advisable to leave the thigh section horizontaland elevate only the back rest l1. Suitable mechanism, such as thatshown in the pending application of Allen J. Taylor, Serial No. 607,847,filed July 30, 1945, may be employed for causing the bowl l5 to assumethe angular position of the thigh section l8. For the sake ofsimplicity, such mechanism has been omitted from the present disclosure.A feature of the present invention is the arrangement of the mechanismfor elevating the cover 24 so as to adapt itself .to operation in any ofthe various positions of andownwardly and toward the door panel 43.

4 gularity that may be assumed 'by the thigh section l8.

The trap 34 has an outlet to which is connected one end of a flexibledrain tube 53. The other end of the tube 53 is connected to a seweroutlet which is indicated at 54.

The cover 24 is carried by a pair of arms 55 which, in the closedposition of the cover, extend The ends of the arms 55 are hinged, at 55,to the lower ends of a pair of brackets 51 which are secured to anddepend from the outer side member of the thigh section I8. It will nowbe apparent that the axis of the hinges 56 will at all times remainparallel to the thigh section [8, that the cover 24 may swing about thisaxis from the closed position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the openposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, irrespective of the angularityof the thigh section 18, and that the relationship between the cover 24and the thigh section I8 in the open position of the cover will be thesame in all cases. In the open position, the arms 55 will contact thebrackets 5'! to support the weight of the cover 24 and the mattresssection 25 which, in that position will hang over the side of the thighsection E8 as indicated in Fig. 3.

Movement is transmitted from the bowl trap 34 to the cover 24 throughlinkage including an arm 58 which is mounted in a stub shaft 59journalled in a bracket 60 that is secured at its upper end to the outerlongitudinal rail II. Thus the axis of the shaft 59 remains fixed at alltimes. The swinging end of the arm 58 carries a roller 6| which, in thelowered position of the bowl I5, is spaced slightly above the uppersurface of the trap 34 as shown in Fig. 3. As the bowl is elevated, theupper surface of the trap 34 will engage the roller BI and swing the arm58 upwardly. This upward movement is transmitted from the arm 58 to thecover 24 through a link 52 having a universally pivotal connection at 63with the arm 58 and having a universally pivotal connection 64 with oneof the arms 55.

The upward swinging movement of the arm 58 is resisted by a coil spring65 one end of which is hooked above the arm 58 and the other end ofwhich is hooked into the bracket 65. The coil spring 65 encircles thestub shaft 59 and urges the arm 58 downwardly.

In the lowered position of the bowl I 5, the arm 58 is suspended out ofcontact with the upper surface of the trap 34, thus permitting the bowlto be swung horizontally from beneath the bed, without interference fromthe cover elevating mechanism as the bowl is elevated.

The back rest I! is provided with a panel 10 which is hinged thereto atH. A link 72 is pivoted at 13 to the panel .10 and at 14 to the outerlongitudinal rail 1 I, in such a manner as to cause the panel Hi to dropbelow the plane of the back rest H when the latter is elevated. This isindicated in full lines in Fig. 2 and in broken lines in Fig. 4. Whenthe back rest H is returned to its normal horizontal position, the panelTo will be moved back into the plane of the back rest H.

The panel In supports the end of the mattress section 22 which liesadjacent the opening l6, and when the panel is dropped below the planeof the back rest l7, it permits this end portion of the mattress 22 torecede from the opening I6, thereby providing additional space toreceive the upper section of the bowll5. I

As the bowl elevated, thetrap 34 will come tinto-tcontact' with the:roller 6i. ""l'lhewcontinued -a1elevation =of the bowlaw'ill cause thear-m' 58 to .z' swing upwardly,1.the roller t l iol liiig ag-ainst first4 the upper surface and-then the side: surfaces-hf the trap 34, .until,in the fully raised'. position of thetoilet .bowlythe cover and -the-raisi-ng linkage will have assumed the position-shown in brokenlines inFig. 3. It may be noted=-=at this point that the movement of thecover"linkage will terminate when' the-roller -ii I has movedtoaposition in engagement withthe side iace oi the trap, and that furtherupward movement ofthe bowlis therefore possible without causingfurther-movement of the cover 24. This makes it possible to'arrange themechanism-to move 'the'l 'cover to the'full open position irrespective'iof the height of elevationof the thigh section -18 and the height 'towhich the -bowl' i5 is 'raised. The opening" movement isa-ac'complishedin an initial stage of bowl elevating movement, -and a;

final stage of bowl elevating movement talees place'after the coverhasbeen iully'opene'd.

As the bowl is lowered 'back to its inoperative position, thespringtfiwillact'tomove 'thecover 24 back to'its closedposition,-mainta-ining thepi.

roller 6! in engagement withthe trap stand the connecting linkage in ataut condition so that the return movement of the cover may be smoothand continuous.

The cover 24 is-provided with a receptacle-sew.

tion 65 on its under side. The receptacle section 66 is divided into acompartment 6i for-toilet paper 68 and a compartment 69 which-may--beused for holding other-articles of convenience to a bed-ridden patient.

The-receptacle portion'tt'of theco'ver-is brought to an operativeposition wherein its oontents- "are accessible to the patient, 1 whenthe -feover--=24 =-is raised to'the'open position. It may be noted-thatin this position, approximatelyhalf" ofthecover openpositionpfzthe*cover; also serve as an-iarmmh.

rest.

We claimas our invention:

1. In an invalids bed, a toilet seat section occupying an area atone-side of the bedgsa'id sectionv having an opening, a; toiletbowLi-means for elevat ngsaid -bowlfroma lowered, inoperative positionto a-position' presentedto saidxopening, a cover hinged upon saidtoilet-seat section on an axis disposed below said section and at theouter side thereof, and means-actuated byraising of-- said toilet bowlfor raisingsaidcover and 'swing- -ing it overthe-sideof the bed to apositiona removed from above said opening.

2. In an invalids bed, a fixed frame, a toilet seat section including athigh portion and a back rest portion hinged to each other and to saidfixed frame, and a leg portion hinged to said thigh portion, said thighportion being adapted to be elevated to provide a reclining seat, saidthigh portion having an opening, a toilet bowl, means for elevating saidtoilet bowl from a lowered, inoperative position below the bed to anoperative position presented to said opening, a cover for said opening,and means actuated by elevating movement of said bowl for raising saidrcover' and:moving sit to= a position removedifrom above said opening. 7

3.3Inan invalids' bed a fixed-frame,- a toilet seat'section including a:thigh portion and a back rest portion hinged toeach other and to saidfixed "frame; and aleg portion hingedlto said thigh por- I tion, therespective portions-of said seat section -:being adaptedto beelevatedto-prov'ide a'reclini-ng seat' arrangement, said thigh portion having anopeningpa toilet bowl, means'for elevating said 'toiletbowl from alowered, inoperative position-below thebdC-to an'operative position'premsente'd to said opening; a cover hinged to said thigh "portion on-anaxis therebelow and atthe'outer side thereof, and-means actuated byelevating movement of=saidbowl for raising said-cover and 'swingingit'outwardly to aposition beyond the side of the bed.

4. In an invalids bed, a fixed fra-rne,-a toilet seatsectioninclud-ing abackrest portion and a thigh portion hinged toeach other and to- 'sa-id.fixe'd frameand aleg ==portion hinged "to =sa2id thigh portion,said=several portions being adapted 'to'be -raised to'-positionscollectively defininga reclining seatarrangement, "said thigh portionhaving an openingg-a' toilet bowl,-means upon *which said toilet bowl issuspended for-movement from a loweredfinoperative' position toeither araised position presented to said "opening or a position projectedhorizontally beyondthe side ofthe'bed for use byan-ambulatory patient, a

cover for said "opening, hinged 'to said thigh 'portion' and meansconnectedto said cover'and "adapted to'be engagedby said toilet bowl-asthe latter moves upwardly andto transmit to'said cover, upward andlateral swinging movement to "-aposition imv'vhichsaid opening isuncoveredjthe "last mentioned means being'supported'outof con- "portionhinged to each other and to said fixed frame, and a leg'portion'hingedto '"said" thigh portion, said; thigh portion having an opening,

a cover hinged upon said" thigh portion and normally' covering saidopening, a toilet/bowl, means for elevating'said toilet bowl from alowered,

inoperative position to a position "presented 1 to uncovered, the "lastmentioned means being op- *"erative irrespective of the position ofinclination of said thigh section.

6. In an invalids bed, a normal occupany' sectiontand a" toilet seatsection including. a back rest, a' thighp'ortion and. a leg portionhinged .to

.each other in the order named, afixed frame to which said back rest andthigh "portion/are .hinged, said thigh portion. having anopening,

.a toilet bowl, means for. .elevatingsaid toilet .bowl

from an inoperative position below the bed to a position presented tosaid opening, a cover for said opening, hinged to said thigh portion forswinging movement from a normal position covering said opening to aposition projected beyond the side of the bed and extending downwardly,and mechanism carried by said cover and thigh section in a position tobe engaged by said toilet bowl as the latter is elevated, said mechanismbeing operated, upon elevation of the bowl, to move said cover from saidnormal, closed position, to said open position, and being free of en- 7gagement with the bowl when the latter is in its lowered position.

7. In an invalids bed, a toilet seat section including a thigh portionhaving an opening and a back rest and a foot rest hinged to respectiveends of said thigh portion,'a fixed frame to which said back rest andthigh portion are hinged, a cover supported for upward and lateralswinging movement from a position covering said opening to a positiondisplaced to one side of said opening, a toilet bowl, means forelevating said bowl from a lowered, inoperative position beneath the bedto a position presented to said opening, an arm hinged to said fixedframe, and a push rod universally pivoted to said arm and to said coverand adapted, upon elevation of said bowl, to transmit to said covermovement to said displaced position in which said opening is uncovered.

8. In an invalids bed, a toilet seat section ineluding a thigh portionhaving an opening and a back rest and a foot rest hinged to respectiveends of said thigh portion, a fixed frame to which said back rest andthigh portion are hinged, a cover supported for upward and horizontalswinging movement from a position covering said opening to a positiondisplaced from above said opening, a toilet bowl, means for elevatingsaid bowl from a lowered, inoperative position beneath the bed to aposition presented to said opening, means including an arm hinged tosaid fixed frame, and linked to said cover and adapted, upon elevationof said bowl, to transmit to said ,cover, movement to said displacedposition in which said opening is uncovered, and spring means actingbetween said fixed frame and said arm for moving the arm and said "coverback towards a closed position upon lowering of the bowl to itsinoperative position.

9. In an invalids bed, a toilet seat portion including a thigh sectionhaving an opening, a leg rest and a back rest hinged to said thighsection at the respective ends thereof, a fixed frame to rhich saidthigh section and said back rest are hinged, a toilet, means forelevating said toilet from a lowered, inoperative position Ibelow thebed to a raised position presented to said opening, said back restincluding a hinged panel having an edge defining a portion of the marginof i said opening, and means for causing said panel i to shift in adirection to increase the area of said opening when said back restportion is elevated. 10. An invalids bed as defined in claim 9 whereinsaid last means comprises a link forming a connection between saidhinged panel and said fixed frame.

11. In a bed, a fixed frame, a toilet seat section including a thighportion and a back rest portion hinged to each other and to said fixedframe and a leg portion hinged to said thigh portion, said thigh portionbeing adapted to be elevated to provide a reclining seat, said thighportion having an opening, a toilet bowl, means for elevatingsaid-toilet bowl from a lowered, inoperative position below the bed toan operative position presented to said opening, a cover for saidopening, and means actuated by elevating movement of said bowl formoving said cover to a position removed from above said opening.

12. In a bed, a fixed frame, a toilet seat section including a thighportion and a back rest portion hinged to each other and to said fixedframe and a leg portion hinged to said thigh portion, said thigh portionbeing adapted to be elevated to provide a reclining seat, said thighportion having an opening, a toilet bowl, means for guiding said bowlfrom a lowered, inoperative position below the bed to an operativeposition presented to said opening, a cover for said opening, means formoving said cover from a position covering said opening to a positionremoved from above said opening, and common control means forsimultaneously efiecting the raising of said bowl and the actuation ofsaid cover moving means to effect movement of said cover to its lastmentioned position.

13. In a bed, a fixed frame, a toilet seat section including a back restand a thigh portion hinged to each other and to said fixed frame and aleg portion hinged to said thigh portion, said thigh portion having anopening, a cover mounted upon said thigh portion for movement from anormal position covering said opening to an inoperative position inwhich said opening is uncovered, a toilet bowl, means for guiding saidtoilet ibowl from a lowered, inoperative position to a positionpresented to said opening, means for moving said cover from said normalposition to said inoperative position and back to said normal position,and common control means for simultaneously effecting the raisingmovement of said bowl and the actuation of said cover moving means toeifect movement of said cover to its inoperative position and forsimultaneously effecting the lowering of said bowl back to itsinoperative position and releasing said cover moving means to permitsaid cover to move back to its normal position.

MARVEL D. BEEM. ALLAN J. TAYLOR.

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